A commercial airport in the United States will close completely for most of 2027, and that’s not something you often see…
Aspen Airport closing from April 4 through November 19, 2027
Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) has announced that it will be closing for a little over seven months in 2027 — specifically, from 11PM on Sunday, April 4 through 7PM on Friday, November 19. In other words, from Easter to Thanksgiving (assuming there are no delays, of course). While the airport will be closed for most of 2027, at least it’s timed so that it doesn’t impact the peak winter season.
This is being done so that the airport can undergo infrastructure improvements, intended to improve safety, access, efficiency, and long term operational reliability. No commercial or general aviation operations will be permitted at the airport during the closure, and there will be no access to the terminal during that time.
This closure will be to complete reconstruction of the existing runway, to meet current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) standards. The runway will be shifted slightly to the west, and will also be widened by 50%, from 100 feet to 150 feet, in order to meet current FAA requirements.
Regarding FAA requirements, some may remember the drama some time back, regarding the future of Aspen Airport. Long story short, many locals opposed necessary updates to the airport, primarily because they wanted to limit commercial service at the airport. These constraints caused some real issues, since among commercial aircraft, historically only CRJ-700s have been able to serve the airport. That finally changed, though, and now Embraer E175s are also allowed.
Preparatory work will already begin this summer, whereby the road next to the airport will be shifted, to make room for the wider runway.
Here’s how Diane Jackson, the Airport Director, described this:
“Our team is committed to coordinating with federal partners, airlines, general aviation partners, and the broader community as we prepare for this important project and the future of the airport. This project is a long-term investment in the safety, reliability, and future of Aspen/Pitkin County Airport, and we will continue to engage with our community every step of the way.”
Aspen Airport is also getting new terminals in 2029
In April 2027, it’s not just work on the runway that will be starting. As of the same date, construction will start on a new commercial passenger terminal, as well as a new private facility. However, those are only expected to open in 2029, so when the airport reopens in late 2027, it’ll continue to use the old terminal facilities, for the time being.
The final design concept for the new terminal hasn’t yet been decided, but if you’ve flown through Aspen Airport, you know that the facility could use an upgrade, especially in peak season, when the terminal gets absolutely slammed. I’m curious to see what the final design concept is.
I’d say that I hope there’s also finally a lounge, though I suspect basically everyone flying into or out of Aspen in winter would be eligible for lounge access, so maybe that’s of limited value, unless you really just enjoy standing in line. 😉
Bottom line
Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) between April and November of 2027, so that the runway can be fully redeveloped. It’ll be moved and widened by around 50 feet, so that’s a major project. During that time, the airport will fully be closed to traffic.
These are overdue changes, so it’s good to see them. Around the same time, we’ll also see construction start on a new terminal, but that will only open in 2029.
What do you make of the work happening at Aspen Airport?
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